The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-28

now, from first TO last, u pund 100000 of
/ evs,ovcs. Mr.. Nash, who is fully
/ acquainted with tie whole rou-
! tine of the distribution OF the
mails, states that IL would be impossible
! for twice this number OF officials To con-
| duct the postal business OF the govern
mcnt in connection with the telegraph
/ business of the country. lie believes that
the civil list would be sWcllcd TO between
800 900 and 400, 900 officials 10y the extern
sion of postal Telegraph system TO all
| parts of the country. Foundation is laid
for such system in all the legislation Of
| Congress. No bridge bill for instance, has
been passed for the last fifteen years that
has not contained clause saving TO the
government the right OF running wires il
! the postal telegraph system should ever he
! adopted, across such bridges, Under the
| postal laws the government could demand
of any railroad the right 10 place poles
along its right OF way. Tins would prevent
the usual distractions found IN purchasing
right of way.
TIIE TELEPHONE PATENT.
| Prof. Bcll is very confident that the de
cision that will be made, probably within
the next two months, BY the supreme
court, will sustain the validity OF his tclc-
! phone patent Indeed, he has not thought
of the telephone, he Sys, for months,
! He has been studying with all his might
on the subject of hereditary deafness. lie
has conducted large correspondence with
people in all parts Of the world, and traced
several genealogies of families prdisposcd
TO deafness, and, in some, has gone back
| MS far Us POO years. In I'll this work he
/ hos
arly thoOughness and system, and has
made genealogical charts demonstrating
the facts Prof He'll gives very little at.
tention now to inventions, but has given
considerable time TO perfccting machine
for talking to deaf mutcs. II il made on
the plan Of the type writer A person sits
at the key board and operates the keys,
which throw up large black letters ON a
line, forming words and sentences
which may be seen by 200 pco-
pie at once. IL is destined 60 bc
used in the school-roon and on the
rostrum where lectures are delivered TO
large audiences of deaf mutcs. Every lit
tie while someone sets up claim 10 haV-
ing invented the telephone. The other
day Prof Bell received letter lrom u COM
mcrcial traveller who sai' that he had in
vented The telephone, and that Mr.. He'll
had stolen IL from him when the latter
was commercial traveller that Bell and
he were travelling somewhere ON the ears,
and this new claimant had disclosed 90
him the whole invention, and that Prof.
Bell went of and made the instrument
and got patent MIR He'll, at the time
named, was nearly dying from lung
trouble, and has never been commercial
traveller ut any time in his life The new
claim produced good deal Of fun in Mr..
Bells household.
GOOD AND TIMELY SUGGESTION
Tie annual report OF NIr. y. VI. Bell,
the superintendent OF the foreign mails
division Of the postoiiicc department,
furnishes very strong argument Tor u
change In the existing rates ON iouuh-cllss
postage matter. At prcscut the rate on
such matter, which embraces mcrrhan-
disc, is cent for each Orncc or fraction.
The weight OF packages which may be- sent
through the mails is limited 10 four
pounds, and as a conscC. icncc the mcr-
chundisc sent ont from laigc cities TO small
towns il nearly always sent ~ eNprofs
In nearly every sOunirF Of europe the
limit oi weight Is eleven pounds, or Eve
Kilograms aud the rates av graded, ~
that the larger package j. sent at les.
| fAlf lIhlNilhnhilN uiNU TIC hlllhll'l
Under this system retail purchasers are
not compelled to pay for transportation
any figure which the express companies
choose 10 exact. In England, France and
other European countries, Mr. Bell points
mt that there II a system in vogue which
insurcs the railroad companies u certain
percentage ul the amounts collected irum
tho parcel pUslap', and there b.
no good reason why similar
system should not Boz adopted
IN this country. The superintendent 81
foreign mails has uo-couIml over The do
nestle postal service, and II Is not within
his province IA recommend tO tDngpss
amy radical changes IN the existing postage
rate, but what lac tells Of the European
systems i worthy Of the attention OF Com
grcss. In the treaties which have been
I negotiated between the luitrd States and
some II our ncighbon during the plsi
;hTcc months provisions lass boon made
iur the transmission 81 packages Weighing
eleven pounds and Il isdiilicult 10 see why
tie citizens ot this county should not
have equal facilities when sending mcr.
chnndi-r a. another o. they enjoy when
| ..udtu,s A., Tufuufgu